I am pondering my next project - R.J Spagnoli Bolero - Italian Merlot.

This kit is just a tad different than the ones I have tried previously,
in that I have in my possession a 23L bucket of sterilized must. I was
reading through the instructions as I always do before I begin and found
something different than in my previous kits: The wine is kept in the
primary fermenter four 14 days, then racked into the secondary only when
the sg reaches 0.998 one begins stabilizing and clearing the wine.

In the other kits I have tried, the wine is transferred to the secondary
after the first week or so when the SG reaches 1.010 or less and
secondary fermentation begins.

In essence, this kit omits the secondary fermentation altogether. What
say you all on this particular method?

Abby
--
The ChildFree Abby Archives - http://www.dismal-light.net/childfreeabby/

Abby, this is the new Spagnols instructions for all of their kits, not
just the 23 litre Bolero kits. Feedback on the RJ Spagnols forum has
been very positive on the new instructions.

BTW, I have heard good things about this Italian Merlot. Also, I
would expect this kit to reach about .994, but it's a few years since
I've made this exact kit in my store

Steve

On Wed, 04 Apr 2007 23:48:03 -0300, Childfree Abby
> wrote:

>I am pondering my next project - R.J Spagnoli Bolero - Italian Merlot.
>
>This kit is just a tad different than the ones I have tried previously,
>in that I have in my possession a 23L bucket of sterilized must. I was
>reading through the instructions as I always do before I begin and found
>something different than in my previous kits: The wine is kept in the
>primary fermenter four 14 days, then racked into the secondary only when
>the sg reaches 0.998 one begins stabilizing and clearing the wine.
>
>In the other kits I have tried, the wine is transferred to the secondary
>after the first week or so when the SG reaches 1.010 or less and
>secondary fermentation begins.
>
>In essence, this kit omits the secondary fermentation altogether. What
>say you all on this particular method?
>
>Abby

I feel free to modify my own recipes, but I do fairly exactly what
kits tell me.

The precision with which I follow the instructions is proportional to
the price I paid for the kit

If my recent Crushendo kit had suggested I sing the polish national
anthem whilst degassing I probably would not have dared omit it!

What a GREAT idea. Anything that makes degassing simpler!!!!! <grin>

Steve

On 4 Apr 2007 20:34:06 -0700, "snpm" > wrote:

>If my recent Crushendo kit had suggested I sing the polish national
>anthem whilst degassing I probably would not have dared omit it!

Steve wrote:
> What a GREAT idea. Anything that makes degassing simpler!!!!! <grin>
>
> Steve
>
> On 4 Apr 2007 20:34:06 -0700, "snpm" > wrote:
>
>> If my recent Crushendo kit had suggested I sing the polish national
>> anthem whilst degassing I probably would not have dared omit it!
>


I've been told that it only works if you are naked at the time. In
colder climes, that could be a challenge ;-)

Abby

--
The ChildFree Abby Archives - http://www.dismal-light.net/childfreeabby/

I heard that too, but where I live it is considered important to wear a cummerbund and nothing else.

For the record, I have so far followed kits to the letter and had great success in my low - medium priced kits. I
intend to be even more exacting when I graduate to superior kits.

Jim

"Childfree Abby" > wrote in message ...
> Steve wrote:
>> What a GREAT idea. Anything that makes degassing simpler!!!!! <grin>
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> On 4 Apr 2007 20:34:06 -0700, "snpm" > wrote:
>>
>>> If my recent Crushendo kit had suggested I sing the polish national
>>> anthem whilst degassing I probably would not have dared omit it!
>>
>
>
> I've been told that it only works if you are naked at the time. In colder climes, that could be a challenge ;-)
>
> Abby
>
> --
> The ChildFree Abby Archives - http://www.dismal-light.net/childfreeabby/

jim wrote:
> I heard that too, but where I live it is considered important to wear a cummerbund and nothing else.
>
> For the record, I have so far followed kits to the letter and had great success in my low - medium priced kits. I
> intend to be even more exacting when I graduate to superior kits.
>
> Jim
>


Ah! You obviously move in more formal circles than I.

I do agree, if I were working on a really upper end kit, great care
would be exercised.

I'd just never come across method this in my admittedly limited
experience.

This hobby, though, is becoming highly addictive. I started off with
the bare minimum of equipment - one primary, one carboy, hydrometer, J
tube, hose, wine thief, bottle filler and "butterfly" corker.

My first attempt at bottling, with the hand corker, combined with a
stubborn cork, a slippery floor, and my own impatience wound up with a
scene reminiscent of the three stooges. I would up going head first
into a peg board (which fortunately was not damaged) and in a day or so,
the dizzy spells went away.

I now have a floor model.

I acquired a second carboy so I could have two batches on the go. And
now, a third one is looking pretty good.

And to think I used to do cross stitch.


Abby




--
The ChildFree Abby Archives - http://www.dismal-light.net/childfreeabby/

Who ever suggested that has never seen a 60 year old man naked. Even wine
will curdle!

Ray

"Childfree Abby" > wrote in message
...
> Steve wrote:
>> What a GREAT idea. Anything that makes degassing simpler!!!!! <grin>
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> On 4 Apr 2007 20:34:06 -0700, "snpm" > wrote:
>>
>>> If my recent Crushendo kit had suggested I sing the polish national
>>> anthem whilst degassing I probably would not have dared omit it!
>>
>
>
> I've been told that it only works if you are naked at the time. In colder
> climes, that could be a challenge ;-)
>
> Abby
>
> --
> The ChildFree Abby Archives - http://www.dismal-light.net/childfreeabby/
>

On Apr 4, 9:48 pm, Childfree Abby > wrote:
> I am pondering my next project - R.J Spagnoli Bolero - Italian Merlot.
>
> This kit is just a tad different than the ones I have tried previously,
> in that I have in my possession a 23L bucket of sterilized must. I was
> reading through the instructions as I always do before I begin and found
> something different than in my previous kits: The wine is kept in the
> primary fermenter four 14 days, then racked into the secondary only when
> the sg reaches 0.998 one begins stabilizing and clearing the wine.
>
> In the other kits I have tried, the wine is transferred to the secondary
> after the first week or so when the SG reaches 1.010 or less and
> secondary fermentation begins.

hmmm, this sounds like a different thread, something about me asking
if the advice of the local wineshop to skip step two was valid (insert
grin here)

> In essence, this kit omits the secondary fermentation altogether. What
> say you all on this particular method?

my local wine shop recommended I do this with the wineexpert kit
island mist that i am starting on. others here said "stick to the kits
instructions. I did. this weekend i'll be stabilizing and clearing.
samples have tasted spot on so I cannot complain.